Infant&#39;s safety covering



May 22, 1951 'F. COMYNS 2,554,325

INFANTS SAFETY COVERING Filed Aug. 7, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A INVENTOR.FREDERIC OOMYNS ATTORNEYS May 22, 1951 F. COMYNS INFANTS SAFETY COVERING2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 7, 1947 INVENTOR.

FREDERIC OOMYNS ATTORNEYS Patentetl May 22, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE INFANTS SAFETY COVERING Frederic Comyns, Dumont, N. J.

Application August 7, 1947, Serial No. 766,993

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a blanket or bed covering for infantsso designed as to make it possible for the infant to move about in itscrib or bed without hampering its movements and without becominguncovered.

In the past numerous types of infants coverings and garments have beendevised and intended to provide for freedom of movement of the infantwhile at the same time providing for the comfort and warmth of theinfant.

The present structure while similar in some aspects to those previouslydevised is much simpler in utilization and is at the same time readilyand economically manufactured.

The structure of my present invention comprises a vest which is wornover the usual sleeping garment in combination with a blanket or thelike and a strap so arranged that the infant may turn and have freedomof movement but is prevented from moving about to a sufficient extent tocause the bed covering to get into a position over the babys face andthus cause suffocation.

It is an object of the invention to provide a bed covering for an infantso designed as to prevent the infant from kicking or otherwise causingthe blankets to move in a position over its face.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a covering whichpermits freedom of movement of the baby.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a covering whichassures that the baby is at all times completely covered and completelycomfortable.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear when thefollowing description is considered in connection with the annexeddrawings in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the cover inuse on a babys crib;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the cover itself illustratingparticularly the fact that the upper edge thereof is provided with anelastic tape in order to increase the degree of freedom of movement ofthe infant when the covering is in use;

Figures 3 and 4 are, respectively, front and rear elevations of a vestwhich is used in combination with the covering of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 5 is a detailed view taken on the plane of the line 55 of Figure4 and illustrating a belt loop which is attached to the vest at the rearthereof;

Figure 6 illustrates a belt such as may be used with the vest andcovering; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary, transverse, crosssectional view of the cribof Figure 1 showing the relationship of the baby, vest, belt andcovering.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown at I!) a crib ofconventional type which is provided with the mattress ll and in which ababy I2 is illustrated, the baby being covered with the covering of myinvention here designated [3. As is clearly seen in Figure 2, thecovering !3 has an elastic tape I l at its upper edge and is made in atrapezoidal form such that when the elastic is fully contracted as shownin Figure 2 the covering l3 appears to be rectangular. As is clearlyshown in Figures 1 and 2, the covering I3 is provided with tapes l5 atits corners, which tapes may be tied about the posts and side rails of acrib or other convenient portions of the crib in the manner illustratedin Figure 1.

The bed covering already described is designed to be utilized inconnection with a vest l6 (Figures 3 and 4) which vest is put on theinfant over its normal sleeping garments and is fastened in the front bymeans of the usual buttons IT.

The vest I6 is provided with a belt loop [8 which is fixed to the veston the center line of the rear portion thereof and spaced somewhat fromthe lower edge. In fact, the belt loop l8 may, in some instances, beplaced at substantially the center of the rear portion of the vest. Thisbelt loop cooperates with a belt such as that shown at 20 (Figure 6) tohold the infant in place with respect to the covering l3 and, of course,the crib l0 and mattress ll.

Referring to Figures 2 and 7, it will be seen that the cover 13 isprovided with the two openings 2| through which the belt 20 is passed.As is clearly seen in Figure 7, the belt 20 is passed through one of theopenings 2|, encircles the baby passing through the belt loop I8 of thevest l6, and is then brought out through the other of the openings 21and buckled by means of the conventional buckle 22 cooperating with theholes 23.

It will be seen that due to the arrangements described, it will beimpossible for the infant to move upwardly and thus to become uncovered.Additionally, due to the utilization of the vest as described, it willbe impossible for the infant to, by kicking or otherwise, either movedownwardly with respect to the cover or cause the cover to move upwardlyto cover its face and thus all danger of suffocation is eliminated. Atthe same time the child may roll about as much as is desirable since theonly limitation upon such movement is that he cannot move through acomplete turn but is limited to a degree of movement corresponding tothe major circle are along the belt between the two openings 2|.Further, by utilization of the elastic tape 14 or by otherwise 5elasticizing the top of the covering I3, freedom of movement is enhancedsince this provides a surplus of material which permits a sidewiseshifting of the infant upon the crib.

The device ofthis invention may also .be used without the vest in someinstances. Thus the blanket with the strap but without the vest may beutilized to hold the infant in position in a: carriage, the blanket inthis instance beingsomewhat smaller than when used in a crib. If "de=sirable a loop may be provided onthe 'carriage mattress or sheet tocooperate with the beltor a large safety pin may be used "as -a beltloox being fastened to the carriage mattressor sheett Also when the infanthas grown so that there 20 is no longer danger ofisuifocation,theblanket may be utilized alone merely as a covering. and will. nothave to :be discarded orthe blanket and. belt 'may be utilized, toretainthe infantin a preferred position but with somewhat less. seou-. 2:)rity than isafiorded. when .the vest is also used.

While I have described a preferred embodiment ofmyinvention, it will beunderstood that the foregoing description is illustrative only and,therefore, I wish to be limitednot by the descrip- 30 tion but solely bythe appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An infants safety sleeping device comprising a vest to be worn by aninfant over its normal sleeping garment, a belt loop on said vest, saidbelt loop being located at the rear of said vest, said belt loop beinglocated at the rear of said vest approximately on the longitudinalcenter line thereof and being located substantially onequarter of thedistance from the bottom of said vest 'tbltheztop thereof, a coveringprovided with an'elasticized' upper edge, said'coveringhaving a pair ofapertures therein adjacent the upper edge thereof and spaced on eitherside of the longitu'dinal center line, securing means fastened to thecorners of said covering for securing said coverfngto'the infants bed,and a belt passing through saidopenings in said cover and said loop insaid vest to thereby assure the infant being coveredat all times whileat the same time free to move about.

FREDERIC COMYNS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references areof record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,169,607 Blenis Jan.'25, 19162,308,466 Johnson Jan. 12, 1943

